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CORPHELION INTERLUDE by Troy DenningAn original exclusive short story

A flight of comets hung just beyond the observation dome, their luminous
heads arrayed in a ragged double arrow, their long tails striping the dark
sky with silver splendor. The largest were visibly creeping across space,
and one—a blazing giant with a braided tail that seemed to stretch across
half the system—was rapidly swelling to the size of a hubba melon. The
panorama was just as advertised, the perfect honeymoon view, and Han Solo
could tell by the gabble of three-hundred beings packed onto the small
viewing floor that everyone else thought so, too.

At Han's side stood Leia, dressed comfortably but fashionably in a sleeveless
doublet and a pair of slinky zoosha pants that Han found especially alluring.
Her brown eyes were fixed on the patio below, and on her face, she wore
a cordial diplomat's expression that was more mask than smile.

Behind them, a swarm of droning Kubaz spilled out of the turbolift and
brushed past, making pointed comments about blocking access to the viewing
floor.

"Sorry about this," Han said to Leia. A stop to watch the Corphelion
Comets had seemed a romantic way to start their honeymoon—at least until
they had discovered that it was the height of the season and every resort
on the asteroid was badly overbooked. "I guess the private dome isn't so
private, either."

"I don't care, as long as we're here together." Leia took Han's hand
and started down a broad set of dark, hardwood stairs. "There's a pair
of empty chaises out there in the middle. Once we settle in and order a
drink, we won't even notice the noise."

"Sure. A Pink Nebula sounds good." Jostling for elbow space was hardly
the romantic way Han had hoped to start their marriage, but things were
bound to improve. Around Leia, they usually did. "Maybe the serving droid
has earplugs or something."

They were halfway down the staircase when a brilliant starburst of radiance
filled the sky. The Solos stopped to look and saw the giant comet splitting
into a spectacular set of twins. The crowded patio fell silent.

"Now that's more like it," Han said.

The twins began to drift apart, their tails crossing as one comet angled
toward the rest of the Corphelions. The other continued to swell in the
darkness above the dome. Finally, when its head had grown to an apparent
diameter of more than a meter, a nervous murmur began to build on the patio
below.

Leia turned back up the stairs. "Maybe we should go back to the Falcon."

Han caught her arm. "Not so fast." He continued to study the approaching
comet—or rather, the darkness around its edges, watching to see how quickly
and evenly its head was obscuring the distant stars. "I thought you wanted
to see the Corphelions?" "Not this close, Han."

"Relax." As he had hoped, the stars on the comet's lower left were vanishing
by the dozens; those on the upper right were disappearing only in twos
and threes. "Everything's under control."

"You've said that before," Leia objected. "You're sure we don't need
to go back to the Falcon?"

"I'm sure." Han slipped a hand down to the small of her back. "And this
time I mean it. Everything's under control, Sweetheart."

Leia glanced from Han to the approaching comet, then back to Han again.
Her expression grew more trusting, and she smiled slyly.

"Okay, Flyboy." She took his arm. "My life in is in your hands."

They descended the rest of the stairs arm in arm. The comet had doubled
in size during the last few seconds, its tail becoming a fan that curved
across a quarter of the dome. A portly Bothan couple rose with their fur
standing on end and turned toward the stairs, and that was all it took
to send the rest of the crowd scurrying for the evacuation stations inside
the asteroid.

Leia pulled Han into a quiet corner and reached up with both hands.
As jabbering humans and growling aliens continued to shove up the stairs
in a near-stampede, she laced her fingers together behind his neck and
stared deep into his eyes.

Han's heart began to beat faster.

"How did you arrange this?" Leia asked.

"Arrange what?" Han was genuinely confused.

Leia gently pulled his head close to her mouth. "The comet." She flicked
her tongue along the lobe of his ear, then continued in a sultry voice.
"Come on, Flyboy, you can tell me. Did Wedge help you?"

"Wedge? You think Wedge is out there moving comets around?"

Leia gently nibbled his earlobe. It felt warm and . . . well, wonderful.
"Lando, then. He has that big asteroid tug, and this is just his style.
Grandiose, effective." She glanced over at the now-deserted patio. "And
just a little bit devious."

"Lando's busy on Nkllon." Han was keeping one eye on the comet. "You
know that."

"You won't tell me?" Leia slipped her hands under the hem of his tunic
and playfully ran her fingers up his back. "You're sure?"

"Well, I'm—"

Leia dug her fingertips into the flesh behind his shoulders.

"Pretty sure," Han said. "I think."

The comet was the size of an Endorian moon now, and he was beginning
to worry that his pilot's eye had gone weak. The different rates at which
the head was obscuring the surrounding stars suggested it was approaching
at an angle, but unless the stars on the right stopped disappearing—and
soon—the comet would not actually miss the resort.

"Uh, Leia?"

"No—I've changed my mind, Han." Leia lowered her hands and, one arm
still wrapped around his waist, turned to look at the sky. "I don't want
to know how you arranged this."

"But—"

"Sshhh." Leia touched a finger to his lips. "I just want to look. It
makes me wish we could forget everything back on Coruscant and stay here
forever."

"You don't say?" The approaching comet was a large as a bantha now.
Han glanced toward the empty stairs, trying to estimate how long he could
keep his real secret--that he may have miscalculated the comet's trajectory—before
they would have to make a mad scramble for the evacuation shelters. "I
just might be able to arrange that."

Leia leaned her head against his shoulder. "If only you could."

"Oh, I could . . ." The comet grew so bright that its radiance lit the
whole dome and there were no stars visible around it at all. Deciding that
things were starting to get dangerous, Han pulled Leia out of the corner.
"In fact—"

The white spike of an antitail finally appeared in front of the head,
and the entire comet began to angle across the dome—away from the resort.
Han exhaled in relief, then put on his best lopsided grin and turned to
Leia.

Leia looked puzzled. "In fact what, Han?"

"In fact . . ." Han waited while the comet drifted over their heads
to the other side of the dome, then said, "You're going to be really impressed
with what I've arranged next."

Leia cocked her brow. "Pretty sure of yourself, aren't you?"

Han nodded. "I have a reason."

The asteroid entered the comet's tail, and billions of tiny dust grains
exploded against the resort's particle shield. Space above erupted into
a glittering veil of micro-flashes.

"Okay, I'm impressed," Leia said. "Really impressed."

"That was nothing," Han said. "This is what I was talking about."

He drew Leia close and lowered his lips to hers. She pressed herself
tight against him and returned the kiss passionately, and that was how
they remained until a loud cheer from atop the stairs interrupted them.

Han opened an eye and, finding an audience of two dozen comet watchers
leering down at them, broke off the kiss. "Leia?"

"Yes, Han?"

"Maybe we should go back to the Falcon after all."

Leia took his hand and started for the stairs. "Han, I thought you'd
never ask."